stolen social security card

What to do in case of Stolen Social Security Card

Social Security card is the proof of your identity that is issued by the government of U.S. Social Security Number or SSN is a unique identity and must be kept a secret. All your financial details can be tracked through this card. So now identity theft is not just limited to credit cards, an individual’s Social Security number can also be stolen for various gains.

A thief can do lot of fraud by stealing SSN. Property dealings can be easily done accounts can be opened using stolen SSN. Thieves also sell SSN to foreigners in U.S. Criminals can provide your SSN on being arrested and this could entangle you into having criminal background. Bank accounts cannot be closed if Social Security card is stolen like debit card or credit card.

When your Social Security card is missing, you need to take serious steps to prevent any foul play. Your SSN may be at risk if it comes in wrong hands and can be misused to a great extent. Your finances are in danger if you are unable to spot your SSN.

The importance of SSN cannot be denied. It is the unique number that will always be used for personal identity verification and check the background as well as the finances of an individual. It also provides all personal information like address.

Employers often verify the background of an employee through Social Security Number. SSN verification is essential for background screening.

The use of Social Security Number has expanded and benefited to a large extend. The nine digit combination of numbers and is composed of three parts. The first three digits represent the area number.

The next two digits represent group number and the last four digits represent the serial number.

Guidelines to Follow When Your Security Card is Stolen or Lost

You need to provide different legal documents to your local Social Security office and fill the application form. Social Security Administration offers three cards replacement on annual basis and ten cards in the lifetime of the individual. No fee is charged for this by the U.S government.

Request a fraud alert on your credit.

Contact one of the three major credit bureaus. Alert any one of Experian, TransUnion or Equifax about stolen SSN. Even if you just contact anyone of them the bureau will place fraud alert with the other two bureaus also. Every 90 days, renew the fraud alert. These issues take several years to resolve.

Request for a new Social Security card.

Contact the Social Security Administration to obtain new card or request a new number.

Inform the Internal Revenue Service about the loss of Social Security card.

Phone call at IRS at 800-908-4490 or visit their website www.irs.gov and report them about your card.

File a report regarding theft or lost to the Internal Revenue Commission (IRS).

If you file identity-theft report you will not be categorized as a criminal if the thief uses your SSN card to commit any crime. If you need new SSN theft report is a must.

Keep a track of your accounts and credit card reports.

Monitor and report any unusual activity to creditor as well as the three major credit bureaus. You require solid proof to present in front of Social Security Administration regarding fraud, to secure your account and monitor it, and to get new SSN.

Report a complaint to the Internet Crime Centre.

Submit your reports at www.ic3.gov with all your personal information like name which is clear with all levels of authority, right from local to federal.

How to Get a New SSN?

Identify whether the risk factors associated with your credit card. Different ways can be used by thieves to get benefit from your stolen card such as providing SSN to obtain a new card. It can also be used to commit major frauds. First you need to fill the Social Security Administration to get new SSN. But there is some information that you require to know first.

The process is not an easy one. You must provide solid evidence for a new SSN. The hardships include run-ins with police, denial of new loans or credit that is not easy to fix.

You must provide documents that prove your age, citizenship, identity. Even if you receive new Social Security Number you have to keep a track of your old number, since your old SSN still exists. The old SSN will be linked to even after you apply for new credit.

The new number that will be provided will not include your prior credit. So you have to build your credit from zero. This makes the option of getting the card extremely complex.

The Social Security Administration has complete authority. It avoids giving out new numbers. New numbers are provided only under limited circumstances only.

You are required to fill the application and collect all the required information to prove your requirement of new SSN. You must be able to convince that your problems are genuine and you must be granted a new SSN to ease your difficulties that you are facing because of the theft or loss of your unique official document that is your Social Security Number.

Do not wait for anything if you have lost your Social Security card. Any card that is lost or stolen is always at a higher risk of fraud. Keep this important document safe and secure and minimize the chance being a victim of any fraud. Destroy all the documents that have your Social Security number displayed on it before just throwing it away in the bin.

Offer other alternatives instead of SSN and provide it only when it is necessary. Safeguard it at home and don’t carry it everywhere. Do not give the details of your SSN to anyone on phone, emails or internet. Just minimize the number places you give your SSN the lesser the better.